Welcome to the Ranch!

Kyla and Will

Everyone in my family loves this ranch.  My husband and I got married here.  My brother comes as often as he can.  It has a special place in our hearts.   My dad and his wife throw birthday parties, barbecues, and other social events at their cabin.  Some of the get-togethers are planned and some spontaneously happen.  At times, the latter are more fun.

The other day my brother, his wife, and their infant son came for a visit.  They originally wanted to go fishing, but stopped by my house to say hello first.  Then all of us went to the cabin to visit.  We were having  such a nice conversation that before we knew it Daddy was grilling hamburgers.  My mouth is watering just thinking about how delicious they were.  Fishing was forgotten somewhere between the conversation and lunch.  As the temperature climbed during the day, we were cool and comfortable all seated under a ceiling fan on the front porch of the cabin.

Soon in the shade of the tall pine trees, a game of horseshoes began.  My children had never played before, but you could not tell that by the way they played.  Jake and Kyla threw several ringers!  We took turns playing each other on different teams.  The spectators took turns holding the babies, Will and Andrew.

Jake, Isaac, Will, and Andrew

It was a memorable day for both young and old.  I know that it doesn’t sound like much, but maybe that is why it was so great.  Have you ever thrown a party or function and were too tired to really enjoy it once it started because you had worked so hard preparing for it?  I have.  A day like this proves that it is not the food, the decorations, or the invitations that make a party.  It is the guests, the conversation, and the love you have for each other.

Family is the most important thing to those of us who live and work at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We are truly a family owned and operated business.  We invite you to have some spontaneous fun with your family and friends.

Traditionally, a rancher who wanted to wean some calves would separate them from the herd and pour feed to them.  The calves would fatten up on the grain until the rancher decided what to do with them.  He/She would decide which calves needed to return to the herd, which ones he/she was going to continue to fatten up to eat, and which ones he/she would sell.  With a grassfed herd, the traditional way to wean is out.  One cannot wean their calves on grain and sell them as grassfed.

Some of our weaned calves.

Therefore at Cross Creek Cattle Company, we wean differently.  We still separate the calves from their mothers.  In order to make the transition less stressful, they are separated by a stout metal fence.  The cow and calf can still see each other and call to one another.  The calves just cannot nurse.  Usually by the second day the cows decide to leave their calf and go grazing in a different pasture.  Sometimes a cow will decide sooner.  Either way the cow knows where her calf is and she knows that it is fine.

The calves have access to plenty of water, hay, and grass.  We carefully monitor the grass situation to ensure that the calves have what they need.  After a week or so, we begin feeding them alfalfa pellets, which is dehydrated alfalfa grass in pellet form.  Alfalfa is a high-quality grass.  It is high in protein.  Therefore, the calves do well on it.  Unfortunately, alfalfa does not grow well in this area, which is why we choose to feed it in pellet form.

However, cows can bloat on such rich grass if their bodies are not adjusted to it slowly.  We begin with 1/2 pound of alfalfa pellets per calf a day.  We slowly work them up to 2 pounds a day of alfalfa.  This helps to ensure that their body condition does not fall behind while they are going through the transition of weaning.

We have several pens in which to graze so that they always have a good supply of grass.  We even use electric fencing to help us separate large pastures into smaller grazing fields.  This ensures that all the grasses are getting eaten.  Sometimes cows will selectively eat a pasture.  Then a rancher has to come behind them and shred the grasses that are left.  This is a waste.  It is like a child who will not eat their vegetables and a parent who throws them away every evening.

Our calves look just as good as the traditionally weaned calves.  They have maintained great body condition without the use of grains and other feeds.  They have eaten grass in several forms: fresh in the pastures, dried in the form of hay, and dehydrated in pellets.  Grass and water is really all a cow needs.  It is healthier for them and for us, which is why we raise grassfed beef.

Last week I described the performance that the Grimes County Jr. Deputy Sheriff’s Mounted Posse was practicing for the grand entry of two rodeos.  They did a great job representing the county at the rodeos.  At the last minute, the Posse had to change their ending song from the “Star-Spangled Banner” to the “Grand Ole Flag.”  Apparently the professional drill team that followed our performance were already using the national anthem.

Kyla and Jake ride in first holding the Texas and American flags.  They ride into position and hold it while other team members ride their horses in different drill patterns.  Clayton is riding a black and white paint mare.  Together they made a great pair and are relatively easy to spot.

I just thought that ya’ll would like to see the performance for yourselves.  Enjoy the video!

My oldest three children are members of the Grimes County Jr. Deputy Sheriff’s Mounted Posse.  This weekend they will ride in the grand entry to start off the rodeos on Saturday and Sunday.  The Posse has been meeting about every other week for practice.  This is something that my husband does with the kids.  I usually stay home with the youngest members of our family.  But since this was the last practice before the performance, I decided to go.

Kyla and Jake practicing their entrance.

Kyla and Jake begin the performance.  Kyla will be holding the Texas flag and Jake will be holding the American flag.  Music plays while they walk into position in the center of the rodeo arena.

Meanwhile, the other older riders take their positions on either side of the arena.  When the music changes to “In God We Still Trust” by Diamond Rio, these riders immediately go into a lope and stay in a lope while doing various formations.  Clayton is one of these riders.  He rides his horse, Roxie, and together they have learned to do these fast exercises.  He does a great job weaving between other riders and around his brother and sister standing in the middle of the arena.

Clayton and Roxie at a lope with Kyla in the background.

They do figure eights and split into two circles moving in opposite directions.  Then they come to a standstill resting for the big finale.  The song ends and the “Star Spangled Banner” begins.  Eight riders form a circle in the middle of the arena with their horses’ butts together.  These riders are all holding flags.  Two have POW/MIA flags, two have Posse flags, two have Texas flags, and two have the American flag.  As the song plays, they leave at a gallop two by two.  They have so coordinated the music with their moves that the last two riders who are holding the American flags exit at the end and, in my opinion, the climax of our national anthem.  It is very stirring.

I am so glad that my children were able to experience being members of the Posse.  They had many opportunities to ride in all different terrains and conditions.  They made friends with other horse-loving children.  They also developed closer relationships to their horses.  The Posse might not have taught them to better horseman (and woman), but it certainly gave them activities in which to grow in their horsemanship ability.

Isaac and Andrew riding their horses at Posse practice.

I hope that this organization will continue in the years to come because I have two other boys who also love horses and would love to join the Posse.  They are already practicing on their stick horses, although Andrew needs to learn to take better care of his horse.  I am quite sure that the head is supposed to be up, instead of being drug through the dirt.

I look forward to watching the performances with the flags and the matching uniforms.  I am confident that they will do a great job representing Grimes County.  In addition, my children also know that they are representing Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We have no doubt that they will make us proud.